Building and dedication of the Jerusalem temple
Solomon asks Hiram to help build the temple
1King Hiram of Tyre had always been friends with Solomon's father David. When Hiram learnt that Solomon was king, he sent some of his officials to meet with Solomon.
2Solomon sent a message back to Hiram:
3Remember how my father David wanted to build a temple where the LORD his God could be worshipped? But enemies kept attacking my father's kingdom, and he never had the chance. 4Now, thanks to the LORD God, there is peace in my kingdom and no trouble or threat of war anywhere.
5The LORD God promised my father that when his son became king, he would build a temple for worshipping the LORD. So I've decided to do that.
6I'd like you to send your workers to cut down cedar trees in Lebanon for me. I will pay them whatever you say and will even make my workers help them. We both know that your workers are more experienced than anyone else at cutting timber.
7Hiram was so happy when he heard Solomon's request that he said, “I am grateful that the Lord gave David such a wise son to be king of that great nation!” 8Then he sent back his answer:
I received your message and will give you all the cedar and pine logs you need. 9My workers will carry them down from Lebanon to the Mediterranean Sea. They will tie the logs together and float them along the coast to wherever you want them. Then they will untie the logs, and your workers can take them from there.
To pay for the logs, you can provide the grain I need for my household.
10Hiram gave Solomon all the cedar and pine logs he needed. 11In return, Solomon gave Hiram two thousand tonnes of wheat and four hundred thousand litres of pure olive oil each year.
12The LORD kept his promise and made Solomon wise. Hiram and Solomon signed a treaty and never went to war against each other.
Solomon's workers
13Solomon ordered thirty thousand people from all over Israel to cut logs for the temple, 14and he put Adoniram in charge of these workers. Solomon divided them into three groups of ten thousand. Each group worked one month in Lebanon and had two months off at home.
15He also had eighty thousand workers to cut stone in the hill country of Israel, seventy thousand workers to carry the stones, 16and over three thousand assistants to keep track of the work and to supervise the workers. 17He ordered the workers to cut and shape large blocks of good stone for the foundation of the temple.
18Solomon's and Hiram's men worked with men from the city of Gebal, and together they got the stones and logs ready for the temple.
